A good night’s sleep in the backcountry is essential to recovery and performance on your desired backcountry trip. Recovery is important, and sleeping position plays a big role in whether you wake up ready to hunt or ready to throw your entire sleeping plan on the beach.
The wrong sleeping pad can make for a bad night’s sleep. For people going deep, a pad needs to be light, packable, warm, durable, and comfortable enough to sleep on. The NEMO Tensor All-Season checks many of those boxes.
In summary: Backpackers looking for a packable, ultra-light sleeping bag with durable warmth and comfort will find a lot to like in the NEMO Tensor All-Season ($199-260). However, a fitted pump bag is definitely not your best option.
Weight
14.1 oz. (normal mom)
Benefits
- It’s very simple
- It’s good to sleep on the side
- Pack it down a little
Evil
- A thicker pad requires more air, which means more lung work. Highly recommend getting an electric pump because of this. Your lungs will thank you.
Nemo Tensor All Season Sleeping Pad Review
Overview
If you had to choose a company to trust with your precious sleep in the backcountry, Nemo is a good bet. Along with bedding, the company also makes tents, sleeping bags and more. We’re here to talk about the Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad, though, so let’s get to it.
The Nemo Tensor All-Season is a four-season inflatable sleeping pad that weighs only 14.1 ounces in the standard maternity model. Nemo also offers rectangular models in regular, regular wide, and long wide options. Depending on the thickness, you’ll have 3.5 inches of cozy real estate between you and the ground with an R-Value of 5.4 to keep you warm.
These pads are not only warm, but also durable. The top is 20D, and the bottom is 40D with nylon for durability if you live in a dirty environment. Each All-Season Pad comes with a Vortex Pump bag, a stuff sack, a repair kit, and a Velcro strap to help keep the pad properly packed and secure. This is a four-season sleeping pad you need on your radar.
Features
Spaceframe Baffle Design – Low Elongation = Stability
One of the keys to getting a good night’s rest on a sleeping pad is proper weight distribution. This allows the person to sleep evenly on the pad without falling or having uncomfortable humps. With the Spaceframe Baffle design used by Nemo in the Tensor All Season, it succeeds in this department. This system uses internal fabric panels that stretch slightly to help eliminate instability, stiffness, or the elbow pushing the pad into the ground.
Vortex Pump Bag – Resistant to Indoor Moisture
Another great thing about the All-Season is that it comes with a Vortex Pump Sack. I know that sounds harsh, but hear me out. This fits directly into the nozzle of your All-Season Pad and allows you to fill the pump bag with air (your breath and natural air), seal it, and push it directly into the pad for inflation. Not only is this great for saving your lungs, but it also provides a longevity factor.
Blowing air directly on the pad with your mouth blows moisture off the pad. Over time, this can cause mold and reduce input values. So, if you have options between a pump bag and your lungs, always choose a pump bag. Your pad will thank you.
Thermal Mirror – Silent insulation
Have you ever experienced the wrinkling and wrinkling of a sleeping pad whenever someone sleeps on it or changes position? Yes, it is, and it can be a really annoying thing at that. To combat this unpleasant noise that has woken up more than a few people, Nemo uses two ultrathin layers of Thermal Mirror floating metal film. These are inside each pad and are designed to reflect your body heat back to you. All that warmth without the weird noise.
My Experience
I have used Nemo Equipment for quite a few years at this point. My sleeping pad of choice has been the Tensor Alpine, but I’ll be honest, it’s seen better days after a lot of abuse over the years. The All-Season to me seemed like a new and improved version of the Alpine. It was light, warm, and had solid bottoms, from what I understand. I had to try.
Right out of the box, I loved what I saw. The pad was rolled up very thin and even came with a Velcro strap to help keep it together. I like that and intend to continue using it. Also included with the pad was a pouch that a person could attach to the mouth of the pad to inflate it. Basically, you fill the bag with air, press it up, and then press the air into the pad. I prefer an electric pump here, but this was a nice touch.
The First Journey
My first trip with All-Season will be a spring bear hunt. It was a 7 day hunt, and I was very eager to put the right reps on the pad. The weather was in the high 60s, with lows in the high 30s/low 40s. All-Seasons pack very well in my bag. Space in the backpack is limited, and I liked that this sleeping bag didn’t take up.
The pad was not only comfortable every night, but warm as well. It was incredibly breathable and grippy. No amendment is required for this trip. I love the extra dimension that Nemo put on this pad. It adds comfort without a doubt, as I am a side sleeper most of the time.
I never felt any part of my body touch the floor while sleeping or changing position throughout the night. It felt like my body was lying evenly on the pad. And with the sleeping pad, it honestly wasn’t that much of a pad noise. Some pads out there have a funny sound with any slight movement.
Lastly, I never found the pad to be too slippery either. What I mean by that is that some pads can slide up and down. This can cause the user to slip from the pad or pad to slide into the shelter overnight. This was not the case All-Season.
What’s going on
I mentioned how much I liked the extra thickness of the Tensor All-Season. It is 3.5 inches thick when inflated, which is undeniably comfortable. However, this means that you put a lot of air into it. Comfort comes at a cost, and that costs time and energy.
Because of this, I highly recommend using an electric pump. The Vortex Pump pouch that comes with the pad works, but it’s definitely not the most efficient system, in my opinion. A small light electric pump will do the job for you and not blow up anywhere of your breath on the pad, avoiding the moisture point we made earlier. This means you have to invest more money for a pump, of course, but it’s well worth it. I promise you.
Final thoughts
There are a wide number of sleeping pads on the market that come in all shapes, sizes, and insulation values. To get you started, the good ones aren’t cheap, but I’d urge you to think of this as an investment in your sleep, rather than just swiping an awkward credit card.
At the end of the day, sleep is your friend in the backcountry, and the Nemo Tensor All Season has more than earned a spot in my bag for the next hunt. I love mine, and it loves me. Well, at least it feels that way. You know what I’m saying.